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Pinehill School Visit

Visiting with littleBits and Sphero Bolt  -Term 1. 2019.

I came in for a chat with Jonathan head of digital technology at Pinehill School. He has a very enthusiastic and inquisitive class. They were most interested in the littleBits kits.  They started building and experimenting. Soon they had created a two-wheeled car-like machine powered by a 6v battery and two motors. Controlled by a variable resistor. There was lots of teamwork and discussion about their design.  

With some trial and error. Lots of discussions. Some fine adjustments. They had success!!! 

Well done to the students at Pine Hill demonstrating great teamwork, persistence, and a no quit attitude.      

http://www.pinehill.school.nz/

Grow With Sphero - Beyond the Square

Day 5 Robotics at Te Atatu Intermediate

Friday 22th March

The final robotics session for the Term One. We have packed a lot in the space of 5 weeks. From building MakerBots from scratch to playing robot soccer. We have completed a mBot coding challenge. Learning about sequences, loops, conditionals, and branch logic. We used light sensors, temperature sensors, and distance sensors as inputs. Jack coded a Microbit and linked it to a variety of inputs. Tyler, Jack, and Ollie made projects using litteBits electronic modules, motors, and switches. 
Te Atau Intermediates programmers and engineers of the future...  

Building BitBot a Bluetooth controlled rover.   

Testing and modifying.

Final touches. Looking cool! 

Tyler is Learning to control BitBot with the iPad. 

Ollie is working fast to complete the littleBits Bumperball game. 

Run by a servo motor and a variable resistor/sliding switch. 

Tyler navigating littleBits Bluetooth car. 

Playing vivid marker 5 pin bowling! 

Ollie and Jack try out their Pinball machine. 

Looks like they need a littleBit more practice.

   

Day 4 Robotics at Te Atatu Intermediate

Friday 8th March

This week the plan was to use the Makeblock Inventor Electronic Kit we touch on this last week adding functionality to our mBots. However, because this kit proved a little temperamental I decided to introduce the littleBits STEAM kit and the BBC Microbit instead. Tyler and Ollie worked on the littleBits while Jack worked on the Microbit projects.

Tyler and Ollie started with exploring the functions of the individual electronic parts by building mini projects. Jack created a number of interesting projects using a fan, a push button switch and combined with block coding on the PC. 

The littleBits series circuit with a variable resistor, buzzer, LED's and sensor. 

Jack coding the Microbit. Connected with a push-button switch and a fan.    

Ollie inventing a two-wheeled robot thingie with Tyler. 

Jack experimenting with sound. 

Thanks, Ollie for the use of your headphones.   

Trialing the invention!!! 

   

Day 3 - Robotics at Te Atatu Intermediate

Friday 1st March

This week was mainly taken up by coding the mBot. The Blockly coding course was a challenge for all of the boys. It required problem-solving, some debugging, persistence and much perseverance. All of the boys completed the course and hopefully had their certificate presented at assembly or in class. Jack L was a stand out for his problem-solving ability and positive can-do attitude. Jack L and Tyler both used the new inventor kits to light up their mBot with the colour changing LED display.
I look forward to seeing what we can make next Friday with the Makerblock Inventor Kit.     

10 Modules

Blocky Code Challenge

Day 2 - Robotics at Te Atatu Intermediate

Friday 22th February 

Recap

After last week I needed to test the two new robots, the boys assembled, to find out why they wouldn't connect via blue tooth. I replaced the blue tooth modules and "hey presto" the robots connected. 

LED Matrix

I thought the addition of the LED matrix on our mBots would be very cool. Last week due to the blue tooth problem we didn't get to install the matrix. So our first challenge this week was to set up the matrix and find out what it can do. I provided the boys with the LED matrix kit and a YouTube video and let them go for it!  

This is what happened: